In 2019, Aili Guttorm (31) traveled on a Norwegian flight between Oslo and Tromsø. She was visiting several cities and events that week. At the time, Aili was both a Sami parliamentary representative for the political party Norske Samers Riksforbund (NSR), and festival manager for the Sami festival Márkomeannu. In both jobs, she was a visible representative of the Sami, and often wore a cardigan. Aili often wears a cardigan in a work context, like here, outside the Sami Parliament. Photo: Marion Aslaksen Ravna That’s why she had more silver and cardigan ornaments in her suitcase than usual. Desperate hunt In the checked-in luggage she had thirteen buckles, two cardigan belts, a comma, a silk shawl and a Sami cardigan. In addition, she brought everyday clothes and make-up. Contents with a value of around NOK 95,000. Aili landed safely at Tromsø Airport, but the suitcase did not. – I wasn’t too worried at the start. I thought that the suitcase had been forgotten in Oslo, and that it would be sent on the next flight north, says Aili. But the message that the suitcase could be collected never came. Have you ever lost your luggage while traveling? Yes, but I got the luggage in the end Yes, I never looked at the luggage again No Show result Aili kept calling Norwegian and the airports in Tromsø and Oslo, in addition to many visits to the service desks. – I searched a lot in the first year, both in the domestic and foreign departments, but in the end I just had to give up, says Aili. The cardigan was made especially for her. She finally considered the inherited cardigan and silver lost after a year of searching. The advertisement that shocked One day in February this year, Aili receives a message from a friend. The suitcase had then disappeared without a trace for almost four years. – I was shocked when I saw the ad, says Aili. 12 Feb., 21:12 Ole-Henrik: Hello! It is very possible that this is completely wrong, but I found an advertisement on Finn. According to my memory, it was very similar to things I’ve seen on you before. Didn’t you lose a suitcase with cardigans and cardigan accessories a while back? Ole-Henrik: 12. Feb., 21:42 Aili: What!! That’s mine. Aili: Absolutely sick! Ole-Henrik: Seriously, absolutely sick! Aili: Yes, oh shit… What am I supposed to do now? Ole-Henrik: So those must be stolen items? Aili :Yes, I’m contacting the police. The suitcase must have been stolen. Aili: Thank you for sending me this! A total of 80 photos were posted of Aili’s missing cardigan, earrings, jewellery, bag and belts. The price tag was NOK 39,500. – The first thing that struck me was that the seller must have stolen my things several years ago, so I reported the person in question, says Aili. The race for the silver Aili was told not to contact the seller while the police investigated the case. It stressed her out. There were several interested buyers on the ad, while the ad images were shared in sales groups on Facebook. The thought of a stranger wearing her cardigan, graduation rings and heirlooms hurt. Aili found herself forced to buy back her own things. The seller gave her a discount of NOK 4,500, and Aili received a price of NOK 35,000. – Of course, I bought everything that was mine back, with good help from my mother. It’s a bit ironic that she had to pay for my graduation gifts for the second time, says Aili. On Aili’s bed are the cardigan and earrings she bought back from the advertising seller. Photo: Ida Emilie Lindseth / news Legal sale The seller had bought everything in January 2023 at a police auction held by Staddsalg. They have various lost property auctions in Norway. news has been in contact with the seller at FINN, who does not wish to comment on the matter, but has confirmed the advertisement and the sale. Aili was given access to the receipt from the lost property purchase at the police. Shortly afterwards, the police closed the investigation and the case was dropped. – After lost property has been with the police for three months, it is sold on, and then the new buyer is the owner of the items, explains Karl-Vidar Solberg, police station chief at Ullensaker police station. Where did it go wrong? How did Aili’s belongings end up on the lost and found even though she requested them for several years? The airline Norwegian does not have a clear answer to that. The airlines are responsible for checked-in luggage, while the local lost and found offices at the airports are responsible for forgotten items and suitcases. Don’t know what has happened The Lost and Found Department at Oslo Airport is operated by ISS Facility Services on behalf of Avinor. They cannot answer whether Aili’s suitcase has visited them or why it ended up at auction. – It is difficult to say where it went wrong here, says operations manager Anna Westbye, who emphasizes that Aili’s case is tired of hearing about. Every year, forgotten luggage ends up at lost property. The picture is used as an illustration. Illustration: ISMAIL BURAK AKKAN / news Westbye points out that the lost property department works based on a system, MissingX, where people can report lost items. Here they try to match the objects with the owners’ information. Aili says she has never heard of this register, although she repeatedly asked for help at the airports. – After three months at the lost and found property, the objects are forwarded to the police, Westby states in an e-mail. No compensation for buckles Aili Guttorm had travel insurance through Gjensidige forsikring, and submitted a claim in 2020 after searching for the suitcase in close to one. The most personal and most expensive things that she had inherited or received as a confirmation gift, she got nothing back for. – I received money from the insurance for powder, facial scrub and training tights, but nothing for what was actually the worst thing to lose, says Aili. Aili received compensation for various objects, but nothing for the silver. The picture shows only parts of the belongings Aili had in the suitcase. Photo: SKJERMDUMP / PRIVAT Line Marcelius works as communications manager for Gjensidige, and asks travelers to pay attention to what applies in the travel insurance regulations. – We do not cover jewellery, such as rings or horns, if this has been sent with checked luggage and disappears, Marcelius explains. Communications manager at Gjensidige, Line Marcelius, encourages everyone with travel insurance to familiarize themselves with what the insurance company covers, and what it doesn’t. Photo: Ida Emilie Lindseth / news Although Aili did not get anything back for the jewellery, earrings and belts she had with her in the suitcase, the insurance company covered the jacket with NOK 7,000. – We consider a cardigan or bunad to be a garment, and can therefore be covered by travel insurance. This applies as long as it does not exceed the maximum amount for an item of NOK 40,000, says the communications manager at Gjensidige. Aili shows off the cardigan, for which she received compensation from the insurance company. Photo: Ida Emilie Lindseth / news On her own journey Exactly where Aili’s suitcase has been is difficult to say with certainty. The suitcase has probably spent over three years with either the airline or the lost property office at Gardermoen, before it has been handed over to the police. After around three months with the police, the suitcase is up for auction in Ullensaker, where it is bought by a lady. It is then taken home, photographed and advertised for sale on finn.no. Aili then finds out about the FINN ad via a friend. Almost four years after the suitcase disappeared, the things are finally back with their original owner Aili, who had to pay NOK 35,000 to get them back. She is disappointed by her experience with Norwegian and at the service counters. – Having to buy back something that is mine, without it being me who lost it, is perhaps the sickest thing I have ever done. I don’t feel that the lost property or the airline helped me in the process at all, but now I will never send the seals with checked luggage again, says Aili. You should think about this If you want to avoid ending up in the same situation as Aili, Line Marcelius in Gjensidige has some recommendations: – Travel insurance is always important to have, and just as important to familiarize yourself with. Before a trip you should read find out what the insurance covers if your suitcase gets lost, says Marcelius. She also recommends keeping the most expensive item in your hand luggage so that you have full control over what you own. – Expensive items such as watches, silver and loudspeakers should be taken in hand luggage, she says. But if you, like Aili, have a lot that you need to take with you on the plane, there are insurance policies for that too. – It is possible to take out valuables insurance for things you are particularly afraid of. Many do it with their bunad.
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Aili’s suitcase was missing for four years – then the luggage appeared on finn.no – news Sápmi
